"We're going to take over all the political institutions of California, in five years, we're going to be the majority population in this state. California is going to be a Hispanic state and anyone who doesn't like it should leave" and "Well, if they (Anglos) don't like Mexicans they ought to leave. They ought to go back to Europe."

Mario Obledo, co-founder of MALDEF (Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund) and winner of the 1998 Presidential Medal of Freedom, awarded by President Clinton, made these racist remarks on the Tom Leykis talk show on 6/17/98 and on the Ray Briem talk show on 6/17/98. Asked by Ray Briem if he thought that the statement was racist, Obledo said "No, because that's a reality. California is going to be inhabited mostly by Hispanics.